Baikonur Cosmodrome Collapse Halts Crewed Missions for Russia, First Time Since 1961

A servicing cabin collapsed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome during the launch of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). The collapse occurred at the movable fold-out structure beneath the launch pad, where work is done on the rocket’s tail section. The incident was reportedly caused by the rocket’s first-stage engine’s gas jet, which tore through part of the launch complex, The Moscow Times reported, citing The Insider on November 27.

Georgy Trishkin, a rocket launch analyst, explained that this particular service cabin is crucial for launching Russian crewed missions to the ISS, and the incident could lead to indefinite delays for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft launches. No cosmonauts were injured, but the facility now requires repairs, which could take up to two years.

Roscosmos has confirmed damage to several elements of the launch pad but assured that repairs are underway using reserve parts.

According to RussianSpaceWeb, the only functioning Russian launch site for Soyuz and Progress crewed missions suffered severe structural damage in the accident. The mobile service cabin fell several meters into the flame trench, deforming access platforms and support elements, effectively rendering Launch Pad No. 31 inoperable.

As a result, the Progress MS-33 launch scheduled for December 21 is now at serious risk of cancellation. Early assessments indicate restoration may take up to two years, with no temporary workarounds currently available.

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Russian analysts note that Moscow may attempt to pull duplicate components from other facilities — including the mothballed Launch Pad No. 1 at Baikonur, as well as sites in Plesetsk, Vostochny, or the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

The damaged element—the service cabin (KO)—is installed around the lower section of the rocket and provides three access levels situated just inches from the vehicle’s surface. These bridges support fueling lines for kerosene and liquid oxygen for the first and second stages, and provide access to the rocket’s lower hold-down arms.

The structure, first designed in 1956 under the index 8U216, was engineered by Moscow’s TsKBTM design bureau and manufactured by Ukraine’s Novokramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (NKMZ). Before liftoff, the cabin folds and retracts on rails into a protected pit beneath the launch pad, where it is sealed behind a thermal shield.

The collapse has left Russia temporarily unable to launch crewed missions, marking the first such disruption since 1961. Alternative to repairs would be the modernisation of Gagarin launch pad, but efforts to modernize it were hindered by the UAE’s withdrawal from the project following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to The Moscow Times.

Previously, it was reported that the European Commission was moving to formally integrate Ukraine into key European space initiatives, recognizing the crucial link between defense and secure satellite technology in wartime.

The European Commission submitted a proposal to the Council of the EU to initiate negotiations on Ukraine’s participation in the Government Satellite Communications (Govsatcom) component. This component is part of the larger EU Space Programme and the Union Secure Connectivity Programme.

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